May 21, 2008

Beep... beep.. beep beep beep BEEP BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP..... Well, I still need the alarm clock. Although it is now actually my semester break, but it almost felt like not having any holiday at all. Being involved in the orientation during the short 3 weeks leave felt like any other normal uni days where you have lectures, tutorials and practical labs.. Everyday was like another manic Monday, having to wake up early before the sun rises to travel two hours to uni and returning home late in the evening. Doing nothing at all sometimes can be really enjoying. Trust me! So, don't complain about your boring television dramas or rotting at home doing nothing at all.. After all, you only get long holiday breaks when you are student. Enjoy your student life! It is definetely, way better than working life.

Nevertheless, the orientation gives you a great experience. Everyone had really put in their efforts to make the orientation events a success. It showcase the importance of teamwork. This is where you can meet new people and make new friends.

Finally, the actual performance day arrived. The original two songs that we've selected was rejected. We've changed the song in the very last minute. Yesterday, my stage fright was really bad. Although it did not turn out good, but we've worked hard and tried our best. We should have no doubt. I am so glad that our friends were really supportive. Thank you so much dear friends. I really meant it from the bottom of my heart.

May 11, 2008

Being a mother is a challenging job. As we celebrate Mother's Day, it is interesting to know how this centuries old tradition comes about.

The origin of Mother's Day can be traced back to the spring celebrations in ancient Greece. Celebrations were held in honour of Rhea, Mother of the Gods. During the 1600's, Christians in England celebrated a day to honour Mother Mary. The holiday was eventually expanded to include all mothers by a religious order and thus named as Mothering Sunday. At that time, most of the poor worked as servants for the wealthy. On this special day, servants would be have their day off and encouraged to return home to spend time with their mothers. Very often, a special cake called mothering cake will be bought.

With the passage fo time, this noble tradition ceased slowly due to war and colonist settlement. In the United States, Mother's day was first suggested after the American Civil War by social activist Julia Ward Howe. Howe was horrified by the carnage caused by the Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War. She tried to issue a manifesto for peace at the international peace conferences in London and Paris.

During the Franco-Prussian war in the 1870s, Howe began a one-woman peace crusade and made an impassioned "appeal to womanhood" to rise against war. She began promoting the idea of a "Mother's Day for Peace" to be celebrated on June 2, honoring peace, motherhood and womanhood.

Unfortunately, Howe failed in her attempt to get the formal recognition of a Mother's Day for Peace. Nevertheless, her remarkable contribution was never forgotten. To acknowledge Howe's achievements a stamp was issued in her honour in 1988.

Howe's idea was inspired by Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis, a young Appalachian homemaker who, starting in 1858, had attempted to improve sanitation through what she called "Mothers Friendship Day". Jarvis saved thousands of lives by teaching women in her Mothers Friendship Clubs the basics of nursing and sanitation.

It was Jarvis' daughter, Anna Jarvis however, who finally succeeded in introducing the Mother's Day that we celebrate today. Anna had spent many years looking after her ailing mother. When her mother died in Philadelphia on May 9, 1905, Anna missed her greatly. Anna felt children often neglected to appreciate their mother enough while the mother was still alive.

In 1907, Anna Jarvis took Howe's idea a step further and began to campaign for a nationally recognized Mother's Day. She persuaded her mother's church in Grafton, to celebrate Mother's day on the anniversary of Anna's mother's death which falls on the second Sunday in May. Hence, our Mother's Day holiday as it is now celebrated was born. Jarvis also began the tradition of wearing a carnation in honor or memory of our mothers where a coloured carnation is worn if your mother is still living, while is worn a white one if she is deceased.

Jarvis wrote letters to ministers, politicians and businessman in an effort to make Mother's Day a national event. By 1911, Mother's Day was being celebrated in almost every state in the country. On 9th of May 1914, President Woodrow Wilson officially proclaimed that Mother's Day would be a national holiday to be celebrated annually on the second Sunday in May.

Today, Mother's Day is a day honouring mothers where you acknowledge her contribution in your life and pay tribute to her. It is celebrated on various days in many places around the world.

Spending time with your mother is the best gift for mother's day. I tried something different this year which is to make sushi for my mum instead. Hehe.. The first few sushis was not that pretty. Nonetheless, I had a great mother and daughter time today making sushi. What comes from the heart is priceless.

May 8, 2008

Although exam's over and the holidays had already begun, there's not much holiday mood in the air. Hehe. Maybe for me only. Really feel like doing nothing at all. Enjoy by being lazy.

I went to uni today. We have to prepare one or two songs to sing during the orientation. This new trend of singing to students to lift up their spirits started last semester. Then, it somehow turned into something like a tradition. Well, otherwise the students will be bored to death listening to talks the whole day. We were asked to perform again. XD.

Chosing a song can be a big headache sometimes. Anyway, after shortlisting the potential songs, we finally selected three. What song? Hehe.. It's for you to find out during the orientation. Hopefully, there won't be another shortcircuit or electricity breakdown on the actual day. After practicing the whole afternoon.. really don't feel like talking right now.. (+_+) Hehe.. Lost my voice a little and it sort of sound a bit coarsy right now.. Just want to give my poor voice box a short rest.

Besides that, I went to search for sponsors today. It was a tough job. There's so much to learn. Accompanied by another friend, we went to a few shops. But the persuasion was to no avail. Most refused while some will only give an answer later. Most probably there won't be any reply.

May 2, 2008

The exams are finally over. Today's paper was Pengajian Malaysia. I went to Times Square right after to relax. Somehow, it didnt help much. The shopping tempatation was no longer irresitable. The many nice and beautiful things there that usually attracts me cant seem to grab my attention at all. I guess I've used up all my energy in the past two weeks. Usually, I'll be so energetic after the last paper. But this time just really tired. ... At last, I ended up coming back home not long afterwards. (+_+) Sleepy.. Extremely lack of energy. Need some time to recharge.